Finding it hard to see why lighter trace works

[Green Hornet]

When blackfishing from the ocean rocks in fairly flat seas, I often have my cabbage bait pecked at leaving the smallest amount around the hook when fishing a 6lb leader. Dropping down to 4lb turns peckers into biters and I'm convinced produces me more fish.

Sure, I bust a leader here and there but on days like this my theory is hook them first and worry about landing them later.

[nutsaboutfishing]

1 hour ago, Green Hornet said:

When blackfishing from the ocean rocks in fairly flat seas, I often have my cabbage bait pecked at leaving the smallest amount around the hook when fishing a 6lb leader. Dropping down to 4lb turns peckers into biters and I'm convinced produces me more fish.

Sure, I bust a leader here and there but on days like this my theory is hook them first and worry about landing them later.

Hey GH,

            I don't doubt what you say, but I'm wondering for example with Vanish leader how can 3/100 of a mm make a difference

[GoingFishing]

3 minutes ago, nutsaboutfishing said:

Hey GH,

            I don't doubt what you say, but I'm wondering for example with Vanish leader how can 3/100 of a mm make a difference

To the human eye.... negligible. 

How good are fishes eyes? Does anyone know.

[Penguin]

Fished for kings with largish unweighted peeled prawns and unweighted pillie cubes in a berley trail many times. Caught plenty on on 12lb using this method. Then there are the days that we could see the Kings in our trail feeding and following hooked trevs or bream to the boat. As hard as we tried they would not take a bait that had a line attached to it. We then drop down to a 10lb leader and the Kings are straight onto it. It would seem that at times, that small bit of difference in line diameter seems to make all the difference.

 

Cheers

[PaddyT]

26 minutes ago, Penguin said:

Fished for kings with largish unweighted peeled prawns and unweighted pillie cubes in a berley trail many times. Caught plenty on on 12lb using this method. Then there are the days that we could see the Kings in our trail feeding and following hooked trevs or bream to the boat. As hard as we tried they would not take a bait that had a line attached to it. We then drop down to a 10lb leader and the Kings are straight onto it. It would seem that at times, that small bit of difference in line diameter seems to make all the difference.

 

Cheers

Seen the same thing with yellowfin tuna, would touch a bait on 80lb leader, went down to 30lb straight to the hook to get a bite, fishes perception is different to ours, i have and will always operate on two principles 1. I would rather get the bite and worry about what happens after the hookup after I have got the hookup 2. I get more bites fishing light- so i fish light as possible and worry about what happens next when it happens- not before.

[anthman]

puttong the perception abilities of fish aside, I think it comes down to two things:

1. more options for the consumer. To be able to have a bigger market share, you have to have the options that your competitors offer. 

2. In the chaos of the infinite variables that take place when fishing, perhaps even the tiniest of efficiencies (i.e. smaller diameter) can contribute. Whether it be the reduced resistance, less visible profile, additional "give" for lure action - or maybe all of that, its at least something the angler can control. Experience showing "more hookups when using thinner diameter" is not really a reliable argument, but that's just a reflection on the variables. I think if you're willing to accommodate the weaknesses that come with lower strength line in favour of "potential" benefit, then you know what you're going to use!

[Green Hornet]

4 hours ago, nutsaboutfishing said:

Hey GH,

            I don't doubt what you say, but I'm wondering for example with Vanish leader how can 3/100 of a mm make a difference

I gave up wondering what goes through a fish's head years ago before I went crazier than I already am haha.

If you believe the marketing spin, they're not supposed to be able to see FC anyway and we all know that's BS.

At least in the estuary, I believe leader diameter to be more important when lure fishing than with bait because with lures it relies more on the visual senses of the fish plus your leader is higher in the water column, where its not only more visible but sun reflective as well. Whereas with bait its laying on the bottom and far less obvious.

If someone could produce it I'd be keen to give a mat finish FC a try.

Edited October 24, 2018 by Green Hornet
added content

[Nolongeramember]

7 hours ago, nutsaboutfishing said:

Hey GH,

            I don't doubt what you say, but I'm wondering for example with Vanish leader how can 3/100 of a mm make a difference

It’s a tiny difference in diameter and it makes a tiny difference to catch rates long term. Refer to my earlier post.  

From your earlier comparison, for me the difference between 6lb and 10lb is enough to make a “noticeable” difference. Try fishing for Yakkas with 10lb in Sydney side by side to someone fishing 6lb or 4lb to get an idea. 

[dan88j]

I didn’t believe all this until I actually tried it. On a recent trip up north off old bar, I had my mum Fishing my 3-6kg, 20lb line 20lb leader, 3/8 5/0 jig head and 7” jerkshad, snapper fishing. I had my girlfriend Fishing a 2-4kg Rod, 10lb line 10lb leader, same jig head and plastic. Now mum caught 1 snapper about 48cm, my girlfriend however on the lighter outfit got 4 fish between 45-55cm and got absolutely tailed by a fish I called for 80+. My theory behind this isn’t that fish don’t ‘see’ leader as easily, but that it give the lure a more natural presentation in the water, less drag through the water so falls more natural. If we start getting dusted by bigger fish I’ll up the leader a few pound so we can put some hurt on to get them off the bottom. But 10lb braid (siglon) is my choice because it’s super thin, and fc rock is my Fluro of choice. Go as light as you need to get the fish to start feeding then you can up the anti. Nothing like having that ‘oh f*#k’ moment when you’re getting schooled. Keep em tight ? 

[Will1702]

There was this time when I was fishing with 5 other strangers shoulder to shoulder on a small rock ledge. I was fishing 15lb mono straight through, pea sinker running straight to hook, everybody else was using heavy rocket sinkers and heavy trace.

I ended up catching the most fish, large bream, samsonfish and 3 kings around 60cm, there was just 1 other guy who managed to catch a grouper and the other 4 caught nothing. So yes, I would say going lighter definitely helps.